49ers vs. Steelers: A prime-time proving ground

But you’d have to imagine that his movement in the pocket will be greatly reduced, so the same old themes apply: Stop the run (which the 49ers almost always do) and come after the passer hard.

That’s one of the under-examined aspects of the 49ers’ two recent losses–they didn’t get much pressure on Joe Flacco (and we saw last night how bad he can look) or John Skelton.

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When the 49ers have the defensive talent they do, and when they stop the run (as they mostly did in those two games), they should get to the QB fairly regularly and punishingly.

If they don’t tonight, it will be a big problem.

—–the column/

No team coached by Jim Harbaugh could ever have a crisis of confidence, not as long as he lives and seethes.

The 49ers are 10-3, already have qualified for the playoffs, and they long ago romped over the NFL’s pass/fail line of demarcation.

However … since Thanksgiving night, when bad scheduling and the Baltimore
Ravens conspired to knock around the 49ers, things have taken a slightly sour turn.

In that span, the 49ers are 1-2 and have given indications that their rising tide might have crested.

Which brings the 49ers to Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It’s another big national stage, against another rough-and-tumble team, but this time on extra rest at Candlestick Park.

Realistically, the 49ers don’t have to win. They have claimed the NFC West title, and no matter their final placement in the NFC playoff potluck, it’s all a game-by-game crapshoot.

But the 49ers do have to win if they want to sustain their credibility as a team that can win multiple playoff games.

Also: They have to win to stay ahead of New Orleans in the race for the NFC’s No. 2 seed.

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And it wouldn’t hurt the spark and camaraderie if the 49ers offense could actually get up to speed.

“This is a test for us,” tight end Vernon Davis said Saturday. “This is to let everyone know that we’re for real and what we’re about.”

Generally, the 49ers’ mood seemed upbeat and unchanged during the week — no major aftereffects from the strange loss in Arizona last Sunday, no dark clouds hovering.

The locker room was loud and cheerful Saturday after practice, as befitting a team that has proved plenty through most of this schedule.

But it also is a team that knows it is facing a necessary crucible Monday.

The 49ers’ most impressive victories have come in Detroit and Cincinnati, neither of which seems like proof the 49ers can bash with the best in the playoffs.

A victory over Pittsburgh on Monday, though, would have the feel of a playoff road test.

But if the 49ers offense looks as slow and stifled as it did against the Cardinals, and if the defense lets Steelers pass catchers go racing through the secondary, then the alarm bells will be loud.

“We definitely have to fight through adversity,” Davis said. “But we have to look at the bright side — we’re 10-3. I mean, that’s enough to make everybody happy. We haven’t been 10-3 since I’ve been here.

“It’s the first time. So we need to just take it as that. It wasn’t given to us. We’ve worked hard for it. We’ve got to take pride in that and keep moving forward.

“But we have to win. We can’t talk about it, we have to do it.”

The test will be less challenging, of course, if Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger misses the game — or plays and is limited by his bad ankle.

And star Steelers linebacker James Harrison is suspended for this game after his hit on Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy.

So, though the 49ers have injury issues themselves (Patrick Willis, Joe Staley, Braylon Edwards), this game is a do-over situation for the 49ers.

What they couldn’t do against Baltimore, they can try to pull off against Pittsburgh.

It is such an interesting moment that Harbaugh offered a soliloquy when I asked him Saturday about the significance of this game, in this time slot, against this opponent.

“We want to win the next game — that’s what this is all about,” Harbaugh said. “This is what we prepare for, this is what we do; that’s what we have to do, and that’s all we have to do…

“That’s what you embrace and look forward to, going out there and putting it on the line. That’s what these guys do; they go put it on the line. Just like you guys do. Just like we all do.

“Hey, you write a column a day. You’ve got to put it out there; you’ve got to put it on the line. That’s what these guys do. That’s the pressure, the excitement of it.”

Harbaugh was probably kidding about the parallels between writing a column and playing a big NFL game, but you never know.

We all have our burdens. The 49ers can ease theirs a bit by crunching the Steelers, before the alarm bells sound.

Tim Kawakami

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“But we have to look at the bright side — we’re 10-3. I mean, that’s enough to make everybody happy. We haven’t been 10-3 since I’ve been here.” – Vernon Davis

Sounds like Freddie P. Soft has entered the building!

Coach Sing

I WANT WINNERS!

Jelloman

Braylon Edwards’ injury isn’t an “issue”, it’s an improvement. Most NFL wide receivers are PABs (Punk-@$$ Bi***es), but there are two kinds of PABs, those with heart and tenacity (which Crabtree has started showing) and those without. I’m looking forward to seeing more of Kyle Williams.

robert rowell

whattya mean, credibility? i can’t remember, does that count in the playoff standings?

no one is going to look at a 10-4 team and think, oh, they’re soft.

the 9ers need to win this game because they’re at home, which is precisely why i think they will. pittsburgh has to run the ball to be successful, even when big ben is healthy. the steelers give up a ton of sack/hits on the QB and pouncey isn’t playing. neither is harrison on the other side of the ball.

#3 so you know edwards personally or are you talking tough from behind your keyboard?

Ron

Better to have a lull during the regular season than the playoffs. Make no mistake that Big Ben makes the Steelers go. Good pressure and taking him down will be big to stop them. For us its all about the O line. They must play better than the Baltimore and Arizona games.

Jelloman

After watching the little ESPN piece on Braylon Edwards’ scholarship program in Cleveland – I totally take back what I said about him being a PAB, and without heart. He’s obviously a pretty stand-up guy. But I still think he needs more tenacity on the field. He’s good at making hard catches, and bad at making the easy catches.